The Academic Program

The study of communication sciences and disorders focuses on the basic understanding in speech, language, swallowing, cognitive-communication, and hearing processes, as well as disorders in these areas. The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) prepares students to become a speech-language pathologist, a health-allied professional who evaluates and treats individuals with speech, language, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders across lifespan, from infants to the elderly. The practice of speech-language pathology (SLP) requires a minimum of a master's degree in specialized area such as CSD and obtaining clinical certification and licensure. Currently, the CSD department is the only program in the State of Hawai'i who offers a Master of Science (MS) degree in CSD and one of the few programs in the U.S. featuring preparation in a multilingual/multicultural environment. The time required for completion of the CSD program by an individual is two years (six semesters including summer sessions).

The CSD department defines our mission using the C.A.R.E.S. Model to establish a center of excellence for:

Clinical Service to rehabilitate people challenged with speech language and/or hearing disorders.

Service to develop public awareness at the university, state, national, and international levels.

The MS degree education program in SLP at UH Mânoa is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville, Maryland 20850, (800) 498-2071 or (301) 296-5700. Students who obtained the UH Mânoa MS degree and judged by the program as having acquired all of the knowledge and skills mandated by the current ASHA standards are eligible to apply for an ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) after successful completion of post-graduate clinical fellowship.

Advising

Students considering the major in CSD may contact the CSD department by email or phone listed above. The CSD website offers useful information for the program and admission requirements. Academic counseling from the Pre-Health Pre-Law Advising Center is also available (manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/PAC/), especially for UH undergraduate students.

Graduate Study

Master’s Degree

Maintenance of a minimum grade of B- for all required courses and clinical practicum

Completion of required graduate course work

Completion of a minimum of 375 direct-contact clock hours in clinical practicum at internship and externship and additional 25 clock hours in observation.

Completion of a thesis (Plan A) or a research project and submission of a manuscript (Plan B)

Passing scores on Praxis examination in Speech-Language Pathology

Clinical Practicum

All CSD graduate students are required to complete clinical practicum at on-campus clinic and externship sites. The University of Hawai'i Speech and Hearing Clinic (UHSHC) is an on-campus internship site and serves as a core clinical teaching facility. Graduate students work directly with patients under the close supervision of a clinical supervisor (a certified speech-language pathologist and/or audiologist). The UHSHC provides speech, language, cognitive-communication, and hearing services to all individuals across the lifespan. The UHSHC is affiliated with University Clinical, Education and Research Associates (UCERA), which is the faculty practice organization created to support the clinical, academic, and research activities of the faculty of the JABSOM. After successful completion of the internship at the UHSHC, students will be placed at externship at a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation facility, nursing homes, private practice, early intervention, and schools.

Research Project (Plan B) and Thesis (Plan A)

Under the supervision of a research or thesis advisor, the CSD students must complete either a research project (Plan B) or thesis (Plan A) as part of the graduation requirements. The project or thesis aids the student in developing and learning evidence based practice (EBP), which is an integral component of clinical practice in SLP. The ASHA advocates the EBP and defines the goal of EBP as "the integration of: (a) clinical expertise/expert opinion, (b) external scientific evidence, and (c) client, patient, caregiver values to provide high-quality services reflecting the interests, values, needs and choices of the individuals we serve (www.asha.org/)".

Praxis Examination

The Praxis examination in SLP is offered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and assesses knowledge and current practices in SLP for beginning practitioners. Importantly, the Praxis examination is an essential component in obtaining the ASHA CCC-SLP and state licensures. The CSD students are required to pass the Praxis examination to graduate from the program.

Online Undergraduate CSD Courses

The CSD program offers seven online undergraduate courses (CSD 431-437) through the Outreach College. By completing these courses, undergraduate students can fulfill CSD-specific prerequisites for entering the CSD MS program.

Please note: This Catalog was prepared to
provide information and does not constitute a contract. The University
reserves the right to change or delete, supplement or otherwise amend
at any time and without prior notice the information, requirements and
policies contained in this Catalog.